Store-service apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. J. WELDON. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 567,701. Patented Sept'.'15, 1896.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sh'eet 2.

J. J. WELDON. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 567,701. Patented Sept. 15, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JAMES J. WELDON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,701, dated September 15, 1896. Application filed J1me 3, 1895. Serial No. 551,501 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES J. WELDON, a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Store-Service Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to store-service apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide a neat, cheap, and simple store-service apparatus which will measure and weigh the ingredients. or fluids therein, so that a great deal. of labor can be saved, and at the same time the Storekeeper will be apprised as to the quantity of his stock at any time.

My invention consists, generally stated, in a store-service apparatus consisting of a box or receptable having an opening in the top and bottom thereof, one or more movable compartments having openings in the top or bottom thereof in said box or receptable, and means connecting to said compartments for moving the same.

It also consists in certain other details of construction and combination of parts, all of which Will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side View, partly in section, of my improved store-service apparatus, show ing the complete machine for storing, measuring, and weighing liquids and ingredients. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the box or receptacle, showing the compartments in one position. Fig. 3 is a like view showing the compartments in another position. Fig. 4 is an end view of the box or receptacle. Fig. 5 is a central cross-section on the line 5 5, Fig. 2; andFig. o" is a top view of the box or receptacle.

Like letters here indicate like parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

My improved store-service apparatus is illustrated in the drawings in connection with the floors of a building. The upper floor is shown at a, and has a storage-box b thereon,

and having an opening a in the floor a, to which is connected a pipe (1, having the enlarged end cl fitting Within the opening 0, entering into the storage-box a. The pipe (1 extends down from the storage-box a and enters within the opening a in the upper end of the hopper e, which is located close to the middle floor f. A smaller pipe g connects with an opening 6 in the lower end of the hopper e and passes through the floor f into the showcase 9, the show-case g connecting by a pipe g to a box or receptacle 71 located in close proximinity to the working counter on the lower floor. The box or receptacle 7i is preferably formed of cast or sheet metal and has the door 2', hinged at t" to one side of the box or receptacle hand forming the circular bottom 71- thereof, the said door 21 having an opening or chutej therein, and the lock or catch i adapted to engagewith the box or receptaole 7L at the opposite side from the hinge 11' thereof. The box or receptacle 7L has the circular top h", the flat sides 72 and ends 71?, all being held together by bolts h, passing through the flanges 71 thereof, and having nuts 72, engaging therewith. Mounted at or about the center of the box or receptacle h is the shaft 70, around which is connected the inner box Z, having the two compartments Z Z formed therein. The inner box Zis preferably formed of cast or sheet metal and has the top Z bottom 1*, sides Z and ends Z. The top Z of the inner box Z is provided with the openings on m therein for communicating with an opening h in the top of the box or receptacle h, and the bottom 1* is provided with the openings n n for communicating with the opening or ehutej in the door 1' of the box or receptacle 71. Secured in the ends Z of the inner box 1 at o o are the adjusting plates 0, having the adjusting-screws 0 passing through the ends i of the inner box Z and adapted to press against the adjusting-plates o. The shaft extends through the box or receptacle 72, and has the lever or handle 19 secured thereto at the end thereof. Stopsc q are formed on the sides 7L3 within the box or receptacle 72 to limit themovement of the inner box Z. Between the showcase g and ICO case 9 of the ingredients or liquids contained therein in case of any accident to the apparatus.

The operation of my improved store-service apparatus is as follows: The liquids or ingredients are dumped into the storage-box b on the floor a and pass down the pipe d into the hopper c, from which they pass down the pipe g into the show-case g, and thence through the pipe g into the compartment Z in the inner box Z, located in the box or receptacle It, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. hen it is desired to draw the liquids or ingredients from the box or receptacle 72 the operator grasps the handle 19 and turns the same down to the position indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 1, so turning the inner box Z to the position shown in Fig. 3 and allowing the ingredients or liquids to pass from the compartments Z (which had previously been filled from the hopper 6) through the opening at and out of the chute j into any bag, scoop, or other suitable receptacle held thereunder. While the ingredients or liquids are passing out of the compartment Z the other compartment Z in the inner box Z has been turned so that its opening m coincides with the opening h in the upper part of the box or receptacle h, and is being filled with ingredients or liquids from the hopper 6 while the compartment 11 is being emptied, and when it is desired to draw twice the amount previously drawn to complete an order, or to draw again for another order,the handle 19 can be turned back to the position shown in Fig. 1, so bringing the opening n of the compartment Z of the box opposite the chute j and permit the ingredients or liquids to pass out .of the chute j into a bag, scoop, or other suitable receptacle, and the opening m of the compartment Z will be brought under h of the box or receptacle h and be ready to be filled for another operation, and vice versa. By the turning of the adj Listing-screws 0 the adj Listing-plates 0 in the compartments Z Z can be adjusted so that the exact quantity and weight desired can be obtained within the compartments Z Z at any time. If desired the storage-box b and pipe cZ can be dispensed with and the ingredients or liquids put directly into the hopper e and then run into the other parts of the apparatus. The showcase 9 enables the operator to ascertain at a glance the amount of ingredients or liquids contained therein and the quantity of stock within the apparatus, so that when the stock is low and made known by the show-case g the .hopper e can be refilled. It will thus be seen that in the use of my improved storeservice apparatus the laborious work of hauling and weighing ingredients and liquids is overcome.

The device is cheap, simple, and is easily operated. It is strong in its parts and not liable'to get out of order. It can be operated in a'rapid mannerandsaves time and labor. It can be adjusted to exactly the amount desired to be measured and'weighed and overcomes the loss of time and patience occasioned in the different trips in carrying the goods from one part of the store to another where the scales are located in order to procure the exact weight.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of a box or receptacle having an opening in the top and bottom thereof, one or more movable compartments in said box or receptacle having openings in the top and bottom thereof, a shaft passing through the box or receptacle and connected to said compartments and having an operating-handle thereon for moving the same, stops within said box or receptacle to limit the movement of said compartments, a transparent showcase above the box or receptacle, a hopper above the transparent show-case, and a dumping or storage box above the hopper, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of a box or receptacle having an opening in the top and bottom thereof, one or more movable compartments in said box'or receptaclehaving openings in the top and bottom thereof, a shaft passing through the box or receptacle and connected to said compartments and having an operating-handle thereon for moving the same, stops within said box or receptacle to limit the movement of the said compartments, a transparent showcase above the box or receptacle, and avalve between said show-case andthe box or receptacle, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of a box or receptacle having an opening in the top and bottom thereof, one or more movable compartments in said box or receptacle having openings in the top and bottom thereof, a shaft passing through the box or receptacle and connected to said compartments and having an operating-handle thereon for moving the same, stops within said box or receptacle to limit the movement of the said compartments, adjusting-plates within said movable compartmentsto'varythe size of the same, a transparent show-case above the box or receptacle, a hopper above the transparent show-case, and a dumping or storage box above the hopper, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4:. In a store-service apparatus, the combination-of a box or receptacle having an opening in the top and bottom thereof, one or more movable compartments in said box or receptacle having openings in the top and bottom thereof, a shaft passing through the box or receptacleand connected to said compartments, said shaft having an operatinghandle thereon for moving the same, stops within said box or receptacle to limit the movement of the said compartments, a trans parent shoW-caseabove the box or receptacle, a valve between said show-case and the box or receptacle, and a hopper above said transparent show-case, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of a, box or receptacle having an opening in the top and bottom thereof, one or more movable compartments in said box or receptacle having openings in the top and bottom thereof, a shaft passing through the box or receptacle and connected to said compartments, said shaft having an operating-handle thereon for moving the same, stops Within the said box or receptacle to limit the movement of the said compartments,a transparent show-case above the box or receptacle, a valve between said show-case and the box or receptacle, a hopper above said transparent show-case, and a storage-box above the hopper having connections with said hopper, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of a storage-box I) having an opening a in the bottom thereof, a pipe (1 connecting said opening a, a hopper 6 below said storage-box b, a transparent show-case 9 below said hopper 6 and connected thereto, a box or receptacle h below the show-case g, and a valve r between the show-case g and the receptable h, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of a dumping or storage box I) having I an opening 0 in the bottom thereof, a pipe cl connecting said opening 0, a hopper 6 below said dumping or storage box I) and pipe cl, a transparent show-case below said hopper e and connected thereto by a pipe g, and a box or receptacle hhaving movable compartments therein below the transparent show-case g and connected thereto, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a store-service apparatus, the combination of a box or receptacle h having an opening h in the top and a chute or opening j in the bottom thereof, a shaft 70 passing through said box or receptacle h, an inner box Z within said box or receptacle h, secured around the shaft is and having one or more movable compartments Z Z- therein, openings m m in the top of the movable compartments 1 Z openings or n in the bottom of the movable compartments Z P, adjusting-plates 0 within the movable compartments Z Z to vary the size of the same,provided with adjusting-screws 0 therein, an operating-handle 19 secured to one end of the shaft 7%), and stops q q Within the box or receptacle h to limit the movement of the inner box Z, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, I, the said JAMES J. TELDON, have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES J IVELDON.

WVitnesses:

O. A. WELDON, .T. N. COOKE. 

